Liverpool (H) | Post match thread

[Manchester_lalala]

Maybe it’s that City are just…better than you?

If you go toe to toe against City, we’ll be the better team, we’ve got to much in our armoury. We struggle against teams that prioritise sitting back but are also effective with their pressing at the right times. See Chelsea three times last season, specifically the final in Porto. Still sit back deep, but also prepared to press our players in key areas to win the ball back high enough making it hard for our players to recover. Klopp will need to change their tactics against Pep as over the last few years, Pep has worked out how to play against him.

 

[AlgarveBlu]

I have watched it, many times, to capture those frames, and I have posted the one *just* before he attempts the chip to show the pass to Foden (or the sweep pass in to the far post) were very much the easier of the potential options, and far more likely to result in a goal.

That's painful to look at

 

[NorthamptonBlue]

I didn’t realise how open Foden was, that’s an easy pass. That’s the fucking title right there!

FFS Mahrez :)

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I have watched it, many times, to capture those frames, and I have posted the one *just* before he attempts the chip to show the pass to Foden (or the sweep pass in to the far post) were very much the easier of the potential options, and far more likely to result in a goal.

This still frame isn’t really fair on him though, as in the split second that is still to run before he actually kicks the ball, the opening for the pass shuts that little bit more. He was right to shoot but the execution let him down.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

This still frame isn’t really fair on him though, as in the split second that is still to run before he actually kicks the ball, the opening for the pass shuts that little bit more. He was right to shoot but the execution let him down.

Passing to Foden was his best option, slotting it to alissons right was also easier than a chip. That would have been the loudest cheer we’ve heard since May 2012. Ah well, we go on.

 

[Vic]

The easiest ball of the day wasn’t played.
When Riyad had the ball in the last seconds of the match, he was directly facing Foden, who would have been clean through if the ball was played. But Mahrez turned away and tried the hardest option as he does to often.
Play the simple ball and we win the game!

Looking at it again, I wonder if Mahrez had VAR in mind and wasn't taking the chance that Phil might be offside.

 

[Vic]

There is, IIRC, actually a ruling that says that offside should be judged at the moment when the player making the pass actually makes contact with the ball for his pass, not when the ball is released.

So why is it that on the NBC freeze frame, like the one sky used after Raheem scored, at the point he plays the ball Kevin's right leg is more or less upright, but on the freeze frame used by VAR his leg is extended and the ball is, as many have said, elongated due to the freeze frame. In other words, it's not when his foot makes contact with the ball, it's as it leaves it.

So why did VAR use the wrong frame? To my mind that can only be deliberate.

He still looks off on the earlier frame (if the vertical line does the same).

 

[cibaman]

This still frame isn’t really fair on him though, as in the split second that is still to run before he actually kicks the ball, the opening for the pass shuts that little bit more. He was right to shoot but the execution let him down.

On balance he took the wrong option. But those freeze frames are often misleading. It’s amazing how quickly defenders close down those gaps. I generally don’t blame attacking players for taking on the shot themselves rather than passing it to a teamate who isn’t clearly open. It was just a poor shot

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

I thought City were the better team by a margin yesterday and it certainly wasn't the close contest we are now being told it was. Much that was said about Liverpool proved not to be the case. Jorgen Klopp's fabled gegenpress was never seen which meant that City were frequently able to hit the space behind Liverpool's high-line back four while their famous front three never really put any sustained pressure on our back line. And our midfield is so much cleverer than theirs; Rodri reads the game so well, KdB runs with the ball, passes it and causes chaos more and better than anyone else and Bernardo is such an intelligent workaholic. They were simply too good for their Liverpool counterparts and the gap became clearer as the game progressed. A t least one, arguably two of them should have seen red. But it was up front that Liverpool were supposed to have the potential to win the match and I suppose that 2 goals from 6 attempts is rather better than 2 from 11, but this does our front three scant justice. Liverpool's may finish better, may live off scraps better but the contribution of our front three to our team play is so much better. Phil is a delight: his close control is exquisite and his feet delightfully quick. He is certainly not a poor finisher but his play is so creative. Raz is not the best finisher in the world, certainly not the worst and he doesn't allow defenders to rest for a second. And Gabby! It seems harsh to say finishing is his weakness after the goal he got yesterday but Gabby kept his back penned back yesterday and Liverpool do rely on their backs getting forward.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Apart from Alty/VAR and poor finishing all of which we have no real control over what did for us was not being 'on it' at the very start of the second half.